There are some garden stories I love to tell over and over.

For instance, I love the story of how Lawrence Johnston built his magnificent garden Serre de la Madone in Menton on the Cote d’Azur.

The part of the story I always feel compelled to include and emphasize is the bit about how on Oct. 23 in 1914, Johnston was so badly injured on the battlefield in the First World War that he was left for dead.

Fortunately, a friend recognized him as he lay among a pile of corpses, noticed that he was breathing and quickly pulled him clear and got him to a hospital tent.

Johnston recovered and went on to build two wonderful world-famous gardens; Hidcote in Gloucestershire and Serre de la Madone in Menton.

Two other stories I enjoy telling have to do with how Swedish doctor Axel Munthe built the lovely hilltop garden San Michele in Ana Capri on the ruins of Tiberius Caesar’s famous villa and how English composer William Walton got so sick and tired of the dull and dreary weather in London that he ran away to Ischia where he and his Argentine wife, Susana, built the extraordinary La Mortella (place of the myrtles) garden.

All wonderful stories. And even more wonderful gardens.

At The Vancouver Sun Gardener’s School at the BC Home + Garden Show next week, I will be telling these and many other engaging garden stories in my talk on Exotic Gardens.

My plan is to take you on a whirlwind trip through the amazing gardens of southern France and Italy with stops at Ninfa, the world’s most romantic garden, and Villa San Giuliano, a beautiful tropical estate-garden near Mount Etna in Sicily.

From there, we’ll jump over to Brazil to pop into the extraordinary garden built by Roberto Burle Marx outside Rio de Janeiro and Bernardo Paz’s breathtaking Inhotim garden complex in Belo Horizonte.

It is certainly true that pictures are worth 1,000 words. And in the limited time given, I know I will be relying on the lovely photos I took in these gardens to convey the exquisite beauty and majestic landscaping in these gardens.

At the Exotic Garden of Val Rahmeh on the Cote d’Azur, for instance, I want you to see the glorious sight of a marmalade bush in full bloom alongside an equally spectacular stand of blue echium.

I also think you will you will be thrilled to see a Mexican red shrimp plant at its peak, the bright red flowers of cestrum that drive hummingbirds insane with desire and the quirky spiky battle-armour trunk of a floss-silk tree contrasted again the tree’s giant canopy dotted with soft silky white seed pods.

Before we leave France, I want us to drop into Monaco and enjoy the panoramic view over the ocean and city from the hilltop Jardin Exotique where bright yellow-flowered aloes compete for space along with tropical euphorbia, agave and cactus.

And we will tiptoe over into Ventimiglia to stroll through one of the world’s most outstanding hillside botanical sanctuaries, the Sir Thomas Hanbury Gardens with its dense woodland of acanthus, long bright pink hedges of drosanthemum, slopes smothered with 325 kinds of aloe, and the longest wisteria pergola I have ever seen.

But I am sure you are also going to find the stories of these gardens just as fascinating.

You can’t help but be moved by the tragic tale and ethereal beauty of Ninfa, the quintessential romantic garden outside Rome.

A ferocious argument in the 12th century resulted in the people of the pretty little town being slaughtered and the town smashed and left uninhabited and in ruins for centuries until it was eventually rescued and turned into what it is today: a world-class picturesque garden full of roses and tranquil streams. You’ll love the pictures of this garden.

There will be excellent garden design tips to pick up from these garden stories, such as the clean lines and elegant perspectives and vistas achieved by Russell Page’s work at La Mortella and at the celebrated Arts and Crafts garden of Villa Landriana.

I feel sure, too, that you will be touched by the vision of garden-makers like Lord Grimthorpe who rescued and restored Villa Cimbrone in Ravello and created such monumental features as the Avenue of Immensity and Terrace of Infinity and the generosity of Florence Trevelyan who created a stopover garden sanctuary for migrating birds in Taormina and also planted outstanding bougainvillea hedges and large purple flowering wigandia trees.

The Home + Garden Show starts Wednesday and continues to Sunday, Feb. 23.

My presentations will be Friday and Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.

The idea of the Gardener’s School, which I started in 2002, is to inspire you and get you excited about creating something wonderful and fun in your own backyard.

We have again brought together a star-studded team of experts who are chomping at the bit to share their knowledge and insights with you.

All my favourite B.C. gardening gurus will be there, including well-known top garden centre and nursery owners Brian Minter, Miles Hunter, Wim Vander Zalm and Gary Lewis.

Vander Zalm, the author of a new bestseller called Just Ask Wim, will dig into his vault of knowledge to answer all your garden questions. They don’t call him the Plant Doctor for nothing.

Minter always has his finger on the pulse of gardening trends and hot new plant introductions, so he will again be a rich source of information about new and exciting planting ideas.

Hunter, being very close to the new generation of young gardeners, knows how huge the food-plant movement is and he will focus on Incredible Edibles for small gardens.

You will definitely need to bring a pen and paper to these talks to jot down all the information. I think it will be a books-worth at least.

Lewis, owner of Phoenix Perennials in Richmond, has established a golden reputation over the years for his discerning taste and awareness of quality plants. He will talk about Cutting Edge Plants for Cutting Edge Gardens.

For something quite different, I have asked Fred Collay and Nicolas Rousseau, of By Nature Design, to show us their ideas for bringing gardens indoors through innovative art installations, green walls and upside-down hanging pots.

Egan Davis, one of B.C.’s most gifted garden teachers, will also be on hand to explain “six key things� that you need to do every year to keep your garden looking healthy.

And since herbs continue to be immensely popular, especially with small-space gardeners in townhouses and apartments, Stephen and Julie Head will explain step by step how to get the most out of growing wonderful aromatic plants.

Paddy Wales, from Sechelt, well known for her skills as a garden photographer, will be at the school to talk about the creation of the new botanical garden on the Sunshine Coast. This is a great story of dedication and determination. It is a project well worth hearing about … and from a person who has been involved with breathing life into it from day one.

Pam Dangelmaier and Elke Wehinger from Botanus, The Vancouver Sun’s retail partners, will be stepping up to give you an exclusive sneak preview of our exciting new six Garden Collections that the paper has in store for you this spring.

So don’t miss the chance to join us down at the show. I promise you will leave inspired, more knowledgeable, and excited about what you can do this spring in your own garden.

For more information go to bchomeandgardenshow.com.

Look who’s talking

VANCOUVER SUN GARDENER’S SCHOOL 2014

Wednesday, Feb. 19: 4 p.m. — 9 p.m.

5:30 p.m.: Fred Collay and Nicolas Rousseau — Nature in my home and my office: How much more innovative and easier can this get?

7 p.m.: Miles Hunter — Incredible Edibles for Small Gardens

Thursday, Feb. 20: noon — 9 p.m.

3 p.m.: Paddy Wales — Heart, Head, and Laughter: Creating a Botanical Garden on the Sunshine Coast

5 p.m.: Brian Minter — Garden Trends

7 p.m.: Egan Davis — Six Essential Things you Need to do in your Garden Every Year

Friday, Feb. 21: noon — 9 p.m.

2 p.m.: Stephen and Julie Head — Herbs at your Fingertips

4 p.m.: Steve Whysall — Exotic Gardens

6 p.m.: Brian Minter — Garden Trends

Saturday, Feb. 22: 10 a.m. — 9 p.m.

12:30 p.m.: Pam Dangelmaier and Elke Wehinger — The Vancouver Sun Spring Garden Collections Revealed!

2 p.m.: Wim Vander Zalm — Success for the Urban Fruit and Vegetable Gardener

4 p.m.: Steve Whysall — Exotic Gardens

5:30 p.m.: Miles Hunter — Incredible Edibles for Small Gardens

7 p.m. Gary Lewis — Hot New Plants: Cutting Edge Plants for Cutting Edge Gardens in 2014

Sunday, Feb. 23: 10 a.m. — 6 p.m.

1 p.m.: Steve Whysall — Exotic Gardens

2:30 p.m.: Pam Dangelmaier and Elke Wehinger — The Vancouver Sun Spring Garden Collections Revealed!

swhysall@vancouversun.com

You
know we’ve turned the corner on winter when the garden shows start sprouting.

No
fewer than five garden or chlorophyll-containing shows will take place within
day-trip range of Harrisburg over the next three weeks.

Harrisburg’s
own Pennsylvania Garden Expo starts the blooming Feb. 21-23 at the Pennsylvania
Farm Show complex, followed by the Pennsylvania Garden Show of York at the York
Expo Center (Feb. 28-March 2), then the world’s biggest and oldest indoor
flower show at the Philadelphia International Flower Show (March 1-9), then the
Maryland Home and Garden Show in Timonium, Md. (March 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9), and finally,
the Pennsylvania Home Show, also at the Pennsylvania Farm Show complex (March
6-9).

Here’s
a preview:

Pennsylvania
Garden Expo

View full sizeThe Hummel Landscape and Dreamscapes Watergardens display garden from Expo 2013.George Weigel

* The Basics: A classic (and
home-grown) winter garden show with three main prongs – indoor display gardens
built by local landscapers, a marketplace filled with plants and gardening
products for sale, and a lineup of talks and hands-on activities.

Harrisburg-based
Journal Multimedia operates this 3-day show out of the North and Northwest
Halls of the Pennsylvania Farm Show complex along Cameron Street, Harrisburg. PSECU
sponsors it.

* 2014
Highlights:
A dozen landscapers are building 11 elaborate display gardens, including water
features, paver patios and most welcome of all – lots of flowers in bloom.

The
Market Faire marketplace will have some 120 vendors offering fare from seeds to
landscaping services (plus tools, plants, garden books and no fewer than nine
local wineries this year. Apparently gardeners especially value grape-growing).

Dozens
of seminars and how-to talks take place in three locations throughout the show.

* What Else to
See and Do:
The Garden Club of Harrisburg and Penn-Cumberland Garden Club are staging a
judged flower show, themed “Musical Magic.”

Central
Penn Parents Family Night is Feb. 22 from 5 to 8 p.m. with hands-on,
family-friendly activities throughout the show floor.

* Hours: Fri., Feb. 21,
and Sat., Feb. 22, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sun., Feb. 23, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

* Tickets: $13 at the
door, $10 in advance at Stauffers of Kissel Hill garden centers or $10.79 per
ticket online. Tickets are good all three days. Parking is $8.  

* More
Information:
http://www.pagardenexpo.org or 717-236-4300.

Pennsylvania
Garden Show of York

View full sizeJohn’s Landscaping display garden from Pa. Garden Show of York 2013.George Weigel

* The Basics: This 3-day show
moves to a new location in 2014 – Memorial Hall of the York Expo Center instead
of the larger Toyota Arena (now Utz Arena) across the Expo Center grounds at
334 Carlisle Ave., York.

The
format is similar to the Pennsylvania Garden Expo with display gardens built by
local landscapers, a marketplace with more than 100 vendors and dozens of
seminars and special events.

* 2014
Highlights:
This year’s theme is “Fairy Tale Gardens,” featuring storybook characters on
Family Fun Night (March 1 from 5 to 8 p.m.), a workshop to make your own fairy
garden, and a contest to transform shoes into fairy-tale footwear.

Garden
Club Federation District IV will stage a judged flower show tied into the theme,
called “Once Upon a Time.”

Landscapers
are building 10 display gardens.

More
than two dozen seminars are scheduled, including two by radio host Mark Viette,
who will broadcast live from the show floor on March 1 from 8 to 11 a.m. 

* What Else to
See and Do:
Music and dance performances, working artists, a bluebird workshop (Feb. 28 at
5 p.m.), a spring fashion show (March 1 at 6:30 p.m.), and a Doggie Fantasies
Fashion Show (March 1 at 3:30 p.m.)

* Hours: Feb. 28 and
March 1 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and March 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

* Tickets: At the door, $10
for adults; $9 for ages 62 and up; kids 12 and under free. Advance tickets $9.
Multi-day passes are $15.  Free parking.

* More
Information:
http://pagsy.com or 717-848-2596.

Philadelphia
International Flower Show

View full sizePetals Lane Florists did this garden-party setting at the 2013 Philadelphia International Flower Show.George Weigel

* The Basics: Here’s the big
mama of them all – the 185-year-old world’s biggest, oldest indoor flower show that
takes place over two weekends and 10 sprawling acres inside the Pennsylvania
Convention Center, 12^th and Arch streets, Philadelphia.

It’s
got 40 of the most elaborate indoor display gardens you’ll find anywhere, plus
a huge marketplace with 200 vendors and a judged horticulture competition for
skilled amateur growers.

* 2014
Highlights:
The 2014 theme is “ARTiculture,” and it uses some of the world’s top art
creations and collaborations with top art museums as inspirations for this
year’s display gardens.

The
main entrance puts visitors inside a series of large frames to become part of
the garden art, which features topiary and trimmed plant re-creations that are
themselves art made out of fresh and dried flowers, stone and fabric.

Seven
times daily, the California dance troupe BANDALOOP will perform above and on
top of the frames. 

* Tickets: $32 for adults,
$22 for students (ages 17-24), and $17 for ages 2-16 at the door. $27, $20 and
$15 for the same in advance (plus service fees) on the show’s web site. Parking
can run $15-$20 in surrounding lots.

Or
get there via one of four bus tours led by Patriot-News/Pennlive garden writer
George Weigel that drop off at the door and include tickets. 

* More
Information: http://www.theflowershow.com or call
215-988-8899.

Maryland Home
and Garden Show

*
The Basics: Held at the Maryland
State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road, Timonium, about a 90-minute drive from
Harrisburg.

It’s
a hybrid garden and builder/home show, combining some 300 home-improvement
exhibitors and booths with display gardens built by landscapers, gardening
seminars and garden-products and plant vendors.

This
show runs 5 days over two consecutive weekends, cutting out the Monday-Thursday
between.

* 2014
Highlights:
17 display gardens are on tap for the 2014 show with a theme focusing around
“Color My World.”

Baltimore
Orioles head groundskeeper Nicole McFadyen highlights the speaker lineup with
talks on how you can get your lawn to look like a baseball-stadium lawn (March
1, 2, 8 and 9 at 2 p.m.)

* What Else to
See and Do:
The Maryland Orchid Society show and sale takes place in a neighboring hall
March 7-9. There’s also a bonsai show and sale and a petting zoo those same
three days only. And 125 crafters set up shop in booths in neighboring
Exhibition Hall, adding another dimension to this show.

* Hours: March 1 from 10
a.m. to 9 p.m.; March 2 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; March 7 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.;
March 8 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and March 9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

* Tickets: $12 for adults;
$10 for seniors (over 62); $3 for children ages 6-12; under 6 is free. Free
parking. Craft show only is $6.

* More Information:
http://www.mdhomeandgarden.com/spring or
410-863-1180.

Pennsylvania
Home Show

View full sizeThe Showcase Home at the 2013 Pa. Home Show.George Weigel

* The Basics: This 40^th
annual show by the Homebuilders Association of Metro Harrisburg (still called
“the builders show” by locals), drops down to four days over one weekend this
year from its traditional two-weekend run.

It
takes place in the Exhibition Hall and Equine Center of the Pennsylvania Farm
Show complex along Cameron Street, Harrisburg (i.e. “the new part”).

* 2014
Highlights:
Nearly 300 exhibitors will have booths.

Builders
Lane focuses on plans, trends and techniques for new construction and offers
examples of designed interiors.

Remodelers
Row has everything related to home improvements – kitchen and bath makeovers,
ideas for additions, new countertops and flooring, new doors and windows,
heating and other energy-savers, garage makeovers… you name it.

For
the outside, several landscapers and hardscapers will have exhibits, and
assorted outdoor-living companies will display ideas on the latest in lawn
equipment, landscape lighting, sunrooms, pools, spas, sheds and fencing.

The
traditional Log Home Exhibit also returns. 

Seminars
take place March 8 and 9, including talks on gardening, flooring, home comfort
systems, geothermal heating and birds of prey.

Five
student teams compete to design and build an outdoor storage unit for less than
$2,000 in the Design It-Build It School Challenge.

* Hours: March 6, 7 and
8 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., March 9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

* Tickets: $7 for adults
but parking is now free on site. Children 12 and under get in free.

* More
Information: http://pahomeshow.com or
717-232-5595.